Five Reasons Why the Sneaker Loafer Is Going to Blow Up Even More — and Five Reasons It May Not
A curio from 2024 could very well become one of the defining trends of 2025.
New Balance ushered in the era of the sneaker loafer through its 1906L, a reimagination of a sneaker that itself was a reimagination. The hybrid shoe with a stripped down upper and unvarnished sole unit made its debut just as summer gave way to fall, but observers had been debating the shoe ever since a Junya Watanabe collab version surfaced at the top of the year and released near the close.
Now, with spring underway, the 1906L has continued its streak of selling out in a variety of color options and material switches. And it isn’t alone. Hoka also launched its own Speed Loafer, which again leaves its sole unit, borrowed from the Speedgoat 5, unchanged while delivering an entirely new upper with little of the sportiness of New Balance’s.
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In a sense, the sneaker loafer was already created by Cole Haan, but it never made the noise it’s making now.
Mizuno, for example, has largely gone under the radar for being well ahead of the moment with its 2012 Infinity Moc that was succeeded in 2024 by the Wave Prophecy Moc.
Sam Le Roy, co-owner of the Instagram based sneaker publication Hartcopy, told Footwear News he’d grown tired of the repetitiveness in trends with Air Jordans, retro runners and the Adidas Samba and other low-profile models. He sees the sneaker loafer as pushing boundaries and catering to consumers that have become more open-minded in the last two years but cautions against too many imitators.
“It’s the same kind of trend as the Mary Jane sneaker mashups, but for a male audience,” Le Roy said. “The longer it goes on, the less interesting it gets.”
Whether you find the sneaker loafer, or “snoafer,” intriguing or appalling, it’s clearly demonstrated its success. But how long will the trend last? Will it branch out even further or die down like many other microtrends before?
“The loafer trend should continue as long as brands can stay creative with model and material variations,” Tarek Hassan, founder and chief executive officer of Concepts, said. “I think we are approaching its peak in trend and growth but will continue to live on as a unique offering for consumers.”
Matt Powell, a veteran retail athletics expert and senior advisor to BCE Consulting, sees potential in part because of the broader rise in slip-on sneakers. “I think there’s some business here. I don’t think it’s going to be a top 10 style by any means, but they’re kind of fun and they’re different.”
Below, Footwear News presents five reasons why the snoafer has opportunity for real growth — and five more for why it has its limitations.
The Pros
1. The Shoes Are Selling Out
Do you want a 1906L or a Speed Loafer? Good luck getting a pair at retail. As of the time this story was written, both models are only available on resale platforms. The 1906L has sold out in each of the six colorways released so far. It’s also gone in the two variants made in collaboration with Junya Watanabe, although those took longer to sell through, likely because of their higher price point. The Speed Loafer likewise flew upon its debut, although no new colorways have been released yet to test its staying power.
2. They’re Versatile
Few would sincerely argue the sneaker loafer is as formal as the loafer, which is, of course, historically a casual shoe. But the snoafer would seem less out of place than a sneaker in dressier ensembles. It’s easy to picture the snoafer sliding back and forth somewhere from center-left to center-right of a scale for formality. Be the bottom a high mesh short or a baggy pleated trouser, sneaker-loafer owners will be experimenting with a variety of looks as they seek to incorporate the new novelty of their footwear rotation.
3. They’re Comfortable
Comfort is king in today’s footwear landscape, and that has played no small role in the ascents of Hoka and New Balance. And as more men are increasing their willingness to try new silhouettes, it’s difficult to pass up the comfort of a sneaker. “Either or” is no longer an issue with the emergence of this new category — you can get both of what the sneaker and the loafer offer. And what the loafer has never offered before is Abzorb SBS heel pods, N-ergy shock absorption, compression-molded EVA foam or a Metrocker shape.
4. It’s a Legitimately New Idea
To be frank, a lot of the developments in sneakers amount to mere modest updates: a new colorway, a change in materials, a slight refinement in technology. An entirely new category only emerges so often, and when it does, it tends to cascade throughout the entire industry. Nike introduced super shoes in 2017, and now a brand must have one if it’s going to be a legitimate player in running. Snoafers may not solve as big and clear of a problem, but they’re nonetheless a larger step forward than the standard noisemaker.
5. The Possibilities Are Endless
New Balance has quickly demonstrated the adjustments that can be made within the 1906L alone. Its upper has already been shown in variants making use of suede, patent leather and a classic mix of mesh and synthetics. The catalogue of other sneakers New Balance could add an “L” suffix to by turning them into a loafer is practically endless. And if another brand wants to follow the same formula, it will have a similarly wide variety of options to turn into a loafer.
The Cons
1. They’re Too Niche
Not every trend spreads itself far from the early adopters. It’s very well possible that the number of people who could be won over by a sneaker loafer are already aware of its existence. A snoafer may just be too weird, too audacious for those who usually pick up a trend at its later stages. Rather than a blockbuster, the sneaker loafer could just be a cult classic.
2. They’re Just Part of a Broader Trend
The snoafer didn’t fall out of a coconut tree. It can’t be viewed outside of the context of sneakers getting weirder on a wider scale, including numerous other sneaker hybrids. There’s the sneaker mule, the sneaker boot, the sneaker high heel and what you could call the sneaker sneaker, when two disparate models are mashed up into one. Perhaps the takeaway from the snoafer isn’t that you should make one yourself — instead, you should come up with a new hybrid.
3. Consumers Will See Through Imitation
While Hoka’s Speed Loafer came second, it was still soon enough after New Balance’s 1906L to ward off any accusations of plagiarism. Given the requisite time to bring a shoe to market, both models have clearly been in development for some time. If a new sneaker loafer emerges from another party further down the line, it could very well be derided rather than celebrated. Consumers are smart, and they may decide that they don’t need a duplicate when they could go after the original.
4. Units Have Been Limited
Sneaker loafers have so far only been available through brand websites and highly curated boutiques and without restocks. They’ve not yet been produced at a larger scale, which isn’t to say that the sellouts should be dismissed, but that they do need to be graded on a scale. Exclusivity is paramount to many of the most sought-after sneakers, and the removal of that quality can beget a dulling of the luster. Put the sneaker loafer in a mall and it might sit. And if it sits, it loses its magic.
5. The Haters Have Been Vocal
Adherents of the sneaker loafer have been met at every step by its detractors. Although the latter crowd hasn’t had the numbers to stop the former from scooping up every pair available, they could present a hard ceiling for growth should they prove impossible to win over. Footwear conservatism could prevent such a progressive model from becoming a true populist affair.
